Director of Grid Integration

About the Position: ECA has an immediate opening for an experienced Director of Grid Integration to lead our interconnection strategy and execution across ECA’s growing portfolio of community solar and energy storage projects. The Director of Grid Integration will report directly to the Chief Operations Officer and work closely with the Development and Operations team. This person will serve as ECA’s primary subject matter expert and point of contact for all grid interconnection matters, managing the full lifecycle of interconnection applications across multiple utility territories and ensuring our projects advance through the queue efficiently and on schedule.

Primary Responsibilities: Own and manage the end-to-end interconnection process for all ECA projects, from initial feasibility and application submission through an executed Interconnection Agreement (IA) Evaluate interconnection feasibility during project origination and site selection, providing go/no-go guidance to the Development team based on grid capacity and upgrade cost analysis Serve as ECA’s primary point of contact with utilities, ISOs, and regulatory bodies on all grid interconnection matters Review, interpret, and negotiate interconnection study results (Feasibility, System Impact, and Facilities Studies), identifying risks and cost drivers and developing mitigation strategies Track and manage interconnection queue positions across multiple utility territories, proactively identifying scheduling risks and opportunities Coordinate with ECA’s engineers and third-party engineering consultants to ensure electrical designs align with utility interconnection requirements and study assumptions Monitor and interpret evolving utility tariffs, FERC orders, state interconnection rules, and queue reform initiatives, advising internal stakeholders on their impact to ECA’s project pipeline Participate in industry working groups related to interconnection Manage relationships with external interconnection consultants, legal counsel, and utility representatives throughout the interconnection process Develop and maintain internal tools, templates, and processes to improve interconnection tracking, reporting, and knowledge management across the organizationRequired Attributes: Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical field 8+ years of experience managing renewable energy interconnection processes, with demonstrated success navigating distribution-level interconnection in multiple utility territories Deep understanding of utility interconnection tariffs, study processes and interconnection agreement structures for projects in the 1–20 MW range Proven track record of coordinating with utilities and navigating the full interconnection queue process from application through IA execution Strong technical foundation in power systems, including distribution system protection, power flow analysis, and grid upgrade requirements Experience reviewing and interpreting interconnection study reports and utility cost estimates, and ability to challenge technically inaccurate or inflated results Developer’s mindset: experienced in the current state of interconnection markets and attuned to regulatory trends and queue reform efforts shaping their future Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical and regulatory concepts for non-technical audiences Passion for the clean energy industry and drive to build scalable processes in a fast-paced, growth-oriented companyPreferred Attributes: Professional Engineer (PE) license Experience with community solar or distributed generation (DG) interconnection, particularly in ISO-NE, PJM, and MISO territories Familiarity with FERC Order 2023 interconnection reform requirements and their implementation across RTOs and utilities Experience with solar + storage (AC- and DC-coupled) interconnection, including export limiting and operational modes Knowledge of state-level interconnection rules and incentive programs (e.g., MA SMART, DE CEF, IL CRJA) Experience working with or at a utility, ISO/RTO, or interconnection consulting firmCompensation: ECA compensates employees with market-competitive base salary plus above-market variable compensation comprising, as appropriate for each position, of performance-related bonuses, transaction-based commissions, and equity-like rewards tied to company performance. The base salary range for this position is $175,000 - $225,000, while your actual salary may be below, within, or above this range depending on your location and qualifications. Benefits and Culture: ECA places great value on our employees’ experience beyond compensation and invests in team members’ wellbeing in many ways including the following: Comprehensive health insurance benefits including medical, dental, and vision 401(k) plan with immediate vesting and company match on 100% of first 4% of employee contributions Flexible work schedules and time-off policies All employees remote Fridays (+ one additional weekday during summer), with opportunities for additional hybrid work Employee wellness consultants and perks Free on-site fitness center (Waltham) Parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents Work visa sponsorships as needed Sabbatical policy for long term employeesLocation: This position will be remote (Illinois) or based out of our Nashua, NH or Waltham, MA offices.